I think so. See for instance the very first post on this thread. ROG also suggested developing a fleet of 100mph container flats, but I haven't seen any mention of that idea lately.
Keep in mind that to do that kind of trip, the 93s are going to have to be cleared/certified for operating from OHLE over most of the AC network - that may be expensive to arrange (spread across just a relative handful of locos), so it wouldn't surprise me if they spent rather more time running on diesel+battery than OHLE. Hopefully they won't have the sort of interference issues the IETs generated when started test running.
That's great until the batteries are fully charged, when (if they are replacing the resistor grids) you lose electric braking capability away from the wires...
Oh yes. I recognise there will be a huge amount of testing and acceptance if they are licensed to operate countrywide and under the various modes. Will be really interesting to observe.
Yeah, I initially thought that.....but then realised they would discharge the batteries assisting the train to get back to speed before they would need to brake again!
But you would want to recharge the batteries fully going downhill in order to have maximum battery assistance on the next climb. Then if there is an unexpected signal check at the bottom of the hill you have no regen braking capability....
Guessing batteries would only be full under electric mode so could use regenerative braking and feed back into the wires?
No rheo. If regen isn't available (whether to the batteries or back to the mains) then it's friction only. The batteries could theoretically be full even when running on the diesel - my understanding is that any excess power from the diesel will be used to charge the batteries. It's possible though that Stadler might configure the TMS so that some battery capacity is always kept empty to allow for regen braking.
Will they be charging them from the engines though? That would drastically reduce the fuel reduction from having the batteries, as it would have to be 'constantly top up from engine and no regen' unless they had some very fancy route specific planning software.
I doubt that the 93 will have the network-wide route availability of the 37.
Wikipedia quotes 86 tonnes over 4 axles, so 21.5t/axle, Which would put it at RA7/8, Well above the RA5 of a Class 37 (100t over 6 axles = 16.67t/axle.)
I do not know how the battery charging algorithms will work, but I thought one of the main benefits of hybrid operation was supposed to be that the batteries will supplement the diesel engine on upgrades as well as when accelerating on the level. This then gives a combined power output of 1300kW, similar to a 37, for hill climbing (provided the climb is not too long). If the batteries were normally left discharged when off the wires, hill climbing power would be limited to just the 900kW of the diesel engine, little more than a 88. That would greatly reduce the utility of the loco on unelectrified lines.
Because - as explained above - the space for the rheo equipment is used for batteries.
As I understand the post higher up, the battery replaces the brake resistors
Not enough space and weight available for the resistors.
Such trip optimisation algorithms would have to assume a speed profile for the route. If the train has to make an unplanned stop at a signal when the algorithm has already brought the batteries up to full charge, ready to climb an incline ahead, friction braking would have to be used.
You can't predict the future, so you just have to do the best you can based on the info you have (including past history - the 'learning' part of an algorithm).
Regenerative and rheostat braking just help reduce wear on brakes with added bonus that some energy is recovered using regenerative braking.
There's a basic diagram at the end of this article:
www.railengineer.co.uk
Indeed the case. It's the reason that 91s have a 75 mph limit when running light-loco, for example.
Not exactly big batteries 2x40kwh and nominally 900kw diesel engine should be able to charge quickly as thats the advantage of Lithium Titanate Oxide chemistry. Anyhow plenty of options for the modellers to play with in working about the best way of optimising this package which i don't believe has been implemented elsewhere.
If I were designing the battery charge management, I would plan for the battery to always have spare capacity to accept the kinetic energy of the train at its current speed. So for a 1000T train at 55mph (KE=80kWh), the batteries would be empty, hoping to recharge them fully with regenerative braking when coming to a stop.
Two images of 93001 courtesy of Karl Watts.
#decarbonisation #electrification #energyefficiency | Karl Watts FCIRO | 22 comments
I can't believe how quickly the first of our class 93 tri-mode locomotives, 93001, has come to fruition. 93001 will roll off the production line in Valencia as a completed locomotive on 22 November, just a few weeks away. We're getting very excited here at Rail Operations UK and really looking...www.linkedin.com
Tantalisingly close now. 93001 being completed in Stadler's facility in… | Rail Operations Group
Tantalisingly close now. 93001 being completed in Stadler's facility in Valencia, with a sister loco in the background. We are really looking forward to getting to grips with these innovative, de-carbonisation flagships. They have been a long time in the planning! Roll on April and arrival on UK...
Minor point - that article describes the diesel engine as "a six-cylinder Caterpillar C32 turbocharged engine" - the C32 is actually a V12 (fairly compact at 2.3m x 1.5m x 1.6m, L-W-H)There's a basic diagram at the end of this article:
Re-engineering Rail Freight - Rail Engineer
Listen to this article Unlike most passenger train operators, rail freight must operate at a profit since it gets no government support. As it works to tight financial margins, it is difficult to justify large capital investment without a guaranteed market. In such an environment, it is...
Yes, I know that, but apparently Mr Shirres doesn't, hah. Does make the diagram a little suspect on second thoughts though, given the width.
